UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (DC News Now) — People in Prince George’s County are calling on Maryland lawmakers to ensure the implementation of legalizing marijuana is fair for everyone.

Expungement, equitable access for business owners, and reinvesting in communities are a few of the things one advocacy group wants to see from lawmakers now that marijuana will become legalized this summer.

“We wanted them to have a very strong lens of equity in relation to how these laws are created, as well as the distribution of funds and profits from this particular cell of this drug,” said Jana Parker, member of PG ChangeMakers.

In just a few months marijuana will be legalized in Maryland. Members and supporters of PG Change Makers and Progressive Maryland are hoping lawmakers will consider a few factors as they draft the new legislation.

“I think we have a really great opportunity in the state of Maryland to set the precedents for really kind of righting the wrongs that incarcerating individuals on marijuana and cannabis have done particularly in the capacity of you’re now moving to you know, legalize this particular drug and sell it and get massive profits in the millions and billions of dollars,” said Parker.

According to the bill passed in November, legalizing marijuana does include opportunities for expungement. All possession charges in the state should be to be removed by July 2024.

“Black and brown communities were incarcerated for selling it. So for it to now be legal and black and brown communities don’t have access to the same sort of business license or capital or revenue or licenses through the state to sell it. You know, that’s, again, kind of like penalizing,” she said.

Dozens of people signed a petition in support of these concerns when it comes to finalizing these laws that will be applied to the new industry. They want to see the profits be reinvested in the community.

‘”It’s just imperative that those funds go back to the communities that you were incarcerating people, you know, for in regards to selling weed and selling cannabis. It that’s just what’s right, you should really go back to repairing and reinvesting in the communities that were destroyed,” she said.

We did reach out to lawmakers but did not get a response back just yet. They are in the process of finalizing laws for licensing, taxes and more before July 2024.